Chapter 2: Pyramid of the Dead

[Starbeard]

Attila looks dubiously at the ground before stepping down. He helps with the rope, putting his venom gathering on hold temporarily.

[DadsAngry]

Mako;

Mako cautiously make it over the to the others at the pit trap tapping the ground in front of him as he goes. He watches Roan scurry down into the darkness. He will make himself available on the rope if extra muscle is needed.

[Zhym]

Arthfael helps hold the rope, allowing the more nimble to climb.

[Grognardsw]

Biblo Phyle, sagesword

"Hark! Trouble!" I exclaim to Attila as someone seems to have fallen down a pit.

I move over to the others gathered round the hole. Hearing a creature may be down there, I nock my bow.

"A torch dropped down there may reveal the danger."

[Inferno]

Day One
The Great Pyramid of the Lost City, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
13th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia
Early Evening. Scorching, arid, cloudless







The raiders of the Great Pyramid peer down a deep shaft filled with shadows and a roaring rush; the sound of water, or dead leaves, or hungry flames; and the echoing curses of an angry Pict.

Roan the barbarian springs into action, almost hurtling headlong down the trapdoor shaft before Garrin can throw in the dead man’s rope. Ignoring pleas for caution, the big Northman grabs the line without hesitation and jumps. He rides it fast, falling hard into the deep, cool bowels of the mysterious pyramid, torch flaring wild and bright in his other fist.

Those above brace themselves and hold the cord tight as they are nigh plunged into darkness. Only Biblo’s candle, and the yellow reflected torchlight from the shaft illuminate the ancient upper hall now. Arthfael and Gronda, please Save vs. Int on 1d20.

It’s a long way down and the shaft angles, slowing Roan's descent and moving him out of sight of those above. The Vanir warrior reaches the end of his rope, but there remains yet another 15 feet below. Roan dangles from the tip and drops. Up top, the rope's slack suddenly gives way!

The big barbarian lands hard at the bottom of the pit and is immediately attacked by the powerful stench of feces, sharp like a fist to the nose. The strange humming roar is deafening. His cold eyes blaze from the ammonia sting as they fiercely scan the surroundings for danger. Roan is in a square, low ceilinged stone chamber with more carvings, the most prominent one right above him, on the western wall.



The dark room has two doors; one at hand, the other behind iron bars. The uncaged north wall is fronted by a long, low stone trough, filthy with excrement. Above it, iron grates in the ceiling drip.

Loche is nearby, pulling himself up from the broken glass and oil of his shattered lantern. A 6’ by 8’ iron grating lays under him. The oil-soaked thief shouts above the din, “Ye came fer me, boyo! Thank ye! Now mind th' torch and turn yeself!"

Then Roan sees it. Impossibly, the floor is coming alive! The walls and ceiling too! By the flickering torchlight, their surfaces writhe and ripple like surreal rivers of scintillating gems... gems that slither forward trying to devour Loche and Roan. With cold realization, the barbarian realizes what these shimmering jewels really are.



Giant, beautiful, flesh-eating scarabs without number crawl toward the pair of adventurers, each one half as long as a man! Their chittering is the maddening clamor of a locust plaque.

"Argh! Damn ye!" the Pict thief curses as his bone dagger swings wild at a shimmering predator whose hungry, gleaming mandibles he narrowly evades!

But razor-sharp, iridescent insect jaws wreak havoc on Roan's right calf. The ghastly wound sprays blood droplets that glitter like spilled rubies in the torchlight.


Actions?!


Map:

Pyramid Tier 2.1.jpg (418.3 KiB) Viewed 1208 times

One square = 10 feet. R = Roan. L = Loche.


Rolls and Rulings (non-required reading):

Falling damage for Loche: [1d6] = 2 Damage is reduced due to shaft angle.
Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 4, Monsters: [1d6] = 4 Tie
Loche: Dagger attack on B12: [1d20] = 4, damage: [1d4] = 2 Miss
B9, B12 attack Loche: [1d20] = 2, [1d20] = 8, damage: [1d4] = 4, [1d4] = 3 Both miss.
B4, B5 attack Roan: [1d20] = 17, [1d20] = 13, damage: [1d4] = 4, [1d4] = 1 One hits for 4 hp.
B7 attacks Roan: [1d20] = 15, damage: [1d4] = 4 Misses.

Status:

• Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 2: AC 6, HP 12/12, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl and 2/3 2nd lvl
  Attila: Hyrkanean Nomad Barbarian 1: AC 1, HP 12/12
  Biblo Phyle: Zamoran Southman Cleric/Fighter/Magic-User 1/1/1: AC 3, HP 7/7, Spells: 3/4 1st lvl, Candle
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 1: AC 5, HP 11/11, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Gronda: Zembabweian Savage Ranger/Thief 1/2: AC 7, HP 12/17
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 3: AC 5, HP 14/18
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 2: AC: 7, HP: 6/6, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl
  Roan, Son of Rune: Vanir Northman Barbarian 1: AC 4, HP 4/12, Torch

Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Garrin): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Garrin.

Resources:

• An Age Undreamed Of (maps and realms of the World of Hyboria)
  Men of the Hyborian Age (races of men)
  The Struggle To Survive (the story so far)
  Hieroglyphs (the story so far, in images)

[Zhym]

Int check (8): [1d20] = 2

[Inferno]

DM:

As the shouting abates, Arthfael the druid recognizes the roaring purr echoing up from the trapdoor shaft. It is the song of insects. Many insects.

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

"What is that!" he say in a panicked voice.

[OGRE MAGE]

Intelligence check (13) [1d20] = 7

Gronda also hears the horrible noises from down below. She shouts down into the shaft.

Are you guys alright down there? What is happening to you?

[Inferno]

DM:

As the shouting abates, Arthfael the druid recognizes the roaring purr echoing up from the trapdoor shaft. It is the song of insects. Many insects.

Gronda the ranger recognizes the sound as well.

Roan can hear her urgent shout clearly.

[Grognardsw]

Biblo Phyle, sagesword

Unable to see deep down the pit, I loosen the arrow in my bow.

"That noise..." I say, trying to place it.

The slack rope isn't a good sign.

"If there is danger down there, I wonder if it can come up the pit?"

[Mant72]

Garrin Locke:

As the rope slackens and ominous sounds rise from the shaft, Garrin declares, "For the love of Mitra! We cannot leave them to whatever horror has befallen them!" He looks grimly at the men that hover around the opening.

Inferno, would it be possible to shimmy down the rope and hurl a flask of oil into the far side of the room (furthest away from Roan and Loche), or would the angle of the opening prevent us from doing so?

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

"What about using the statue again? It worked the last time."

[Mant72]

Garrin Locke:

Mako:

"What about using the statue again? It worked the last time."

"I fear we risk crushing our companions if we dare do so; however, we must decide on something quickly." With this he unsheathes his dagger, places it between his teeth, and descends.

He momentarily hangs at the end of the rope, surveying the scene below. Taking his dagger from between his teeth, he drops and attempts to plunge it into the chitinous back of one of the beetles. ​

[Grognardsw]

"Pull on the rope once for help, twice for pull up!" Biblo yells to the receding Garrin.
"Yell back up what's happening!"

[hedgeknight]

Roan, Son of Rune

Hearing Gronda's call, Roan yells back. "We're up shit creek without a paddle! And about to be eaten by beetles! Git yer asses down here fast!!"

Waving his torch at the beetles, he attempts to chop one in half with his battle axe.
Battle axe: [1d20+3] = 3+3 = 6, [1d8+5] = 5+5 = 10

"Remind me why I slid down this shit hole to find you!" he growls at Locke.

[Starbeard]

Attila holds onto his ornate helmet and slides down the rope into the bug chamber. 'Look! Food!'

He goes bug hunting.

Javelin thrust (ThAC0 20) [1d20] = 16, [1d6] = 2 (forgot to add +1 to javelin attacks from his race)

[OGRE MAGE]

Gronda jumps into action hearing the words of the barbarian. Seeing that the rope is already occupied, she resorts to her wall climbing skills to descend down into the shaft.

Not sure if I roll for that or if you do. Let me know if you want a roll from me.

[Inferno]

Day One
The Great Pyramid of the Lost City, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
13th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia
Early Evening. Scorching, arid, cloudless






In the uppermost chamber of the Great Pyramid, warriors and wizards divide. Arthfael, Biblo and Mako brace themselves on the rope as Attila, Gronda and Garrin take the plunge into the abyss.

The fearless adventurers hurtle down the cord, wind in their faces, as they slide deeper into the chill, ages-mad stonework of the pharaohs. The thunderous hum grows louder as they reach the end of the dead man's line, and jump the final 10 feet. Garrin is last, and dangles a moment longer. But Attila and Gronda land hard in a large stone latrine, infested by gigantic insects. They hold their breath, lest the overpowering reek of shit threaten to empty their newly-filled stomachs. (Everyone can hold breath for 2 rounds, then they need a Con Save on 1d20 to avoid retching. I'll request rolls.)

Gronda the ranger sees this chamber for what it is. The mammoth insects are dung beetles. They devour waste and become food. It's an ingenious cycle; a finite, symbiotic ecosystem.

The shimmering rainbow pestilence of flesh-eating scarabs crawls and writhes toward the heroes!



Roan, axe in one fist, torch in the other, swings with primitive ferocity but can't cleave open the scarab's iridescent armor! (B9)

Loche, twin daggers moving in a blinding blur of bone white, drives one knife in, up to the hilt, braining a scarab and killing it instantly (B12). Its six twitching limbs claw spasmodically at the tiles.

The heroes beat back scintillating jaws with blade, axe and spear!

At the brutal death of one of their brethren, fear ripples through the remaining scarabs like a tidal wave. Spooked, they all open their shell armor to release translucent wings.



As one, they take flight in a chittering crescendo, transforming the chamber into a screaming, murderous diadem kaliedoscope of swirling colors, patterns, and razor sharp mandibles.

From the air, every one of them will be able to attack the heroes.

Loche glances over his shoulder, in fear. "A door. Batter it doon, boyo! Let's git th' hell out o' 'ere!"


Actions?! Roan please Save vs. Con on 1d20 or lose a round retching.


Map:

Pyramid Tier 2.2.jpg (427.22 KiB) Viewed 1154 times

One square = 10 feet. PC are marked by the first letter(s) of their first names. Greyed out letters indicate the dead.


Rolls and Rulings:

Starbeard and Mant, as mentioned here, it takes one full round to slide down the rope. It's your entire action. Attila's attack rolls are lost. I don't "bank" rolls. Sorry.

OM, it's like a rope firehouse pole. You can all slide down, one after another. Gronda need not climb.

You three descend in Dex order. As none of you are heavily encumbered, there are no Saving Throws to be made to slide down the rope.

Garrin, last down and still holding the rope, looks below and sees B5 right beneath him. He can let go of the rope and attack in the same round. If you still want to, please roll a Dex Save on 1d20, with your attack roll.
Dex Save success means it works similar to a "charge," you add +2 to hit and damage due to the added force from the fall.
A Dex Save failure means you attack as normal.
A '20' means you cannot attack. Thanks.

Loche: Save vs Con: (15): [1d20] = 6 Loche doesn't retch.
Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 4, Monsters: [1d6] = 3 Party wins.
Loche Attacks B12: [1d20] = 11, damage: [1d4] = 2 Miss
Loche attacks B12: [1d20] = 17, damage: [1d4] = 4 Hit
B4 and B5 attack Attila: [1d20] = 4, [1d20] = 2, damage: [1d4] = 4, [1d4] = 1 Both miss.
B7 attacks Gronda: [1d20] = 2, damage: [1d4] = 4 Miss.
B9 attacks Roan: [1d20] = 3, damage: [1d4] = 2 Miss.
B13 attacks Loche: [1d20] = 13, damage: [1d4] = 4 Miss.

Status:

• Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 2: AC 6, HP 12/12, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl and 2/3 2nd lvl
  Attila: Hyrkanean Nomad Barbarian 1: AC 1, HP 12/12
  Biblo Phyle: Zamoran Southman Cleric/Fighter/Magic-User 1/1/1: AC 3, HP 7/7, Spells: 3/4 1st lvl, Candle
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 1: AC 5, HP 11/11, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Gronda: Zembabweian Savage Ranger/Thief 1/2: AC 7, HP 12/17
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 3: AC 5, HP 14/18
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 2: AC: 7, HP: 6/6, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl
  Roan, Son of Rune: Vanir Northman Barbarian 1: AC 4, HP 4/12, Torch

Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Garrin): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Garrin.

Resources:

• An Age Undreamed Of (maps and realms of the World of Hyboria)
  Men of the Hyborian Age (races of men)
  The Struggle To Survive (the story so far)
  Hieroglyphs (the story so far, in images)

[Zhym]

Arthfael, still holding the rope and the only one up top (I think), looks for something heavy to tie the rope to so he can climb down after the others.